Where she wanted to give chance to relationship for the first time.
The last thing he wanted was to get into a relationship.
They weren't forced but they weren't happy too.
Sometime it takes more time than expected to get the puzzle in its place.
...
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• PROLOGUE: AKSHARA •
The early morning light filtered through the pale curtains of Akshara's bedroom, casting a soft, golden hue across the neatly arranged books and minimalist furniture. She stretched in bed, feeling the warmth of the morning sun on her skin, and let out a content sigh. It was a familiar routine-this quiet moment before the day began, before the bustling sounds of her family and the busy café life claimed her attention.
Akshara glanced at the clock. It was 7 a.m., and she knew the house would soon come alive with the smell of breakfast and the lively chatter of her family. She slipped out of bed, wrapped her long, wavy hair into a messy bun, and quickly freshened up before heading downstairs.
The moment she reached the kitchen, the familiar sound of her mother humming filled the air. The smell of masala chai and freshly toasted bread mingled with the scent of parathas. Her mother, dressed in a simple cotton sari, was busy at the stove, flipping the parathas with practiced ease.
"Good morning, beta," her mother greeted, without turning around. "Did you sleep well?"
"Morning, Maa," Akshara replied, taking a seat at the kitchen island. "Slept like a baby. What's for breakfast today? The parathas smell amazing!"
Her mother smiled, setting a plate of hot aloo parathas with a side of homemade yogurt in front of her. "Eat quickly. You know your father will come down any minute, and he'll start his usual complaints about breakfast getting cold."
Just as she was about to take a bite, her younger sister, Anika, breezed into the kitchen, her face glowing with youthful energy. At sixteen, Anika was the baby of the family, full of ideas and dreams that often left the rest of them either amused or puzzled.
"Akshara di!" Anika exclaimed, plopping down beside her. "Do you think I should dye my hair? Maybe a bold color like green or purple? You know, something that screams 'me'."
Akshara raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Green or purple? Are you trying to scare off people or just stand out more than you already do?"
Anika grinned, clearly unbothered by her sister's sarcasm. "I just want to do something different."
Their banter was interrupted by their father, a man with a deep voice and a towering presence, who walked into the dining room, adjusting his reading glasses. "What's all this talk about green hair?" he asked, chuckling. "Your mother and I had to convince your uncle not to dye his mustache last week, and now this?"
Their father sat down at the head of the table, his gaze moving fondly from one daughter to the other. Akshara's older brother, Rohan, and his wife, Meera, entered next, exchanging knowing looks as they settled in.
"Morning, Dad. Maa, smells like heaven in here," Rohan said, pecking his mother's cheek and sliding into the seat beside his wife. Meera smiled warmly at Akshara as she reached for a paratha.
